Stop-motion for circular-knitting machines.



Patented Aug. ,2l, I900.

w. F. WEST & B. PAYNE. STUP MUTIUN FUR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

(Application filed Feb. 23, 1900.)

UNITED 'STATEsf PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. WEST AND BRIGHAM PAYNE, OF WOONSOCKET, RIIODE ISLAND.

'STOP-MOTION-FQR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

. srnorrrcncrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,493,6rated August 21, 1900.

Application filed February 23,1900. Serial No. 6,284. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM F. Wns'r' and BRIGHAM PAYNE,'citiz ens of the United States, residing at Woonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stop-Motions for Circular-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in stop-motions for circular-knitting machines, and has for its principal object to provide a stop-motion which is calculated to automat-' ically assume its proper operative position with respect to the fabric being knitted when the machine is started up subsequent to a stoppage thereof, and which therefore does not require to be reset, adjusted, or otherwise attended to by the operator.

Another object is to provide a stop-motion embodying parts disposed above the needle cylinder of the machine," the said parts being adapted to be readily raised and secured in an elevated position until after the knitting of a piece of fabric has been started and being also adapted to be readily restored to their operative positions.

Another object is to provide a stop-motion which is a simplification of and possesses other material advantages over those extant.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully appreciated from the followingdescription and claims when the same are taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in fwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a circular-knitting machine,illustrating the part-s of our improvements in the positions they occupy when the machine is in action. Fig. 2 is a detail section illustrating the rock-shaft forming part of our improve" ments and the appurtenances thereof. Fig. 3 is a section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 33 or Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated-by arrow. Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section talgen in the plane of the brokenlineel of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on broken line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail section illustrating the normal position of the presser-foot with reference to the knitted fabric. Fig.7 is a detail section illustrative of the ordinary operation of our improvements, but is preferably employed on the machine; D, the standard attached at its lower end to the bed; E, the hand-lever, pivoted on the base of the standard; F, the shipping-lever and its releasing mechanism, as shown in Fig. 7; G, the vertical latch-arm pivoted on the base- -plate of the standard and engaging the end of the hand-lever E; and H the horizontal bell-crank lever fulcrumed on the top plate of the standard and having a latch end to engage with the Vertical latch-arm G, all these parts being of the ordinary form and arrangement and designed to operate in conjunction with our improvements, as will be presently described.

I is an endwise-movable rock-shaft journaled in bearings a on the standard Dand having an angular arm b at its inner end,

and J is a presser-foot, whiohis preferably of the shape illustrated and is provided with a bifurcated upper portion '0, receiving and pivotally connected to the forward portion of the arm Z), whereby the forward beveled end of said arm is enabled to limit the rocking movement of the presser-foot'in either direction. The presser foot is normally held against rocking on the arm I) of shaft I through the medium of a latch K, which is fulcrumed on the arm I) at one side thereof and has a rounded notch (l in the lower edge of its outer arm receiving a lug e of circular form in cross-section on the presser-foot,'and a spring L, connected at one end to theinner armof the latch and at its opposite end to an adjust able collar M on arm 1), whereby its tension may be readily regulated when desirable or necessary. The said presser-foot is yieldingly pressed down upon the fabric on the needle-cylinder by a coiled spring N, which surrounds the shaft I between the bearings a of standard D and is connected at one end ICQ to a collar f, fixed on the shaft, and at its opposite end to a ratchet-wheel g, the said ratchet-wheel having a sleeve Z)" resting withits normal operative position.

in the spring and being designed to be engaged by a spring-pawl 2' on the standard D after the manner shown, so as to permit of the tension of spring N being readily regulated when necessary.

P is a rod loosely connected to the upper end of the presser-foot J and extending rearwardly through a guide j on the collar M. This rod is provided at its rear end with a laterally and downwardly extending arm 70, which rests in advance of the inner arm of the bell-crank latch-lever H, as best shown in Fig. 4. The said latch-lever H is backed by a coiled spring Z, which serves to hold its inner arm against the arm of rod P, and hence it will be seen that when the presserfoot is rocked in the direction indicated by arrow by a defect in the fabric being knitted, as presently described, the latch-lever will be immediately swung out of engagement with the vertical latch-arm G on the lever E, so as to enable the spring-pressed plug, situated in the bed-plate, as shown in Fig. 7, to move upwardly and thereby release the shippinglever F and stop the machine.

The general operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows: WVith the parts in the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 and the needle-cylinder revolving in the direction indicated by the large arrow on Fig. 1, if from any cause a needle breaks or a hole is made in the fabric being knitted by the time the fabric with such imperfection passes upon the wire-guide C the V-point of the presser-foot will be engaged by the edge of the hole in the fabric, and the movement of the cloth as it revolves with the cylinder will rock the presser-foot in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 1, so as to remove the lug e of the said presser-foot'from the notch 01 of latch K and through the medium of the presser-foot and other mechanism described quickly effect an automatic stoppage of the machine. When the lug e of the presserfoot is removed from the notch d of latch K, as stated, said lug will assume a position below the lower edge of the latch in advance of the notch d with reference to the direction in which the needle-cylinder turns, so that when the V-point of the presser-foot is released from the hole in the fabric the latch being pressed by spring L on the lug e will cause the said lug to move rearwardly into the notch d, and consequently the presserfoot to assume the normal position shown in Fig. 1. When the hole or other imperfection in the fabricis repaired and the shipping-lever F is brought forward to start the machine and is secured in such position by depressing the spring-backed plug through the medium of the hand-lever E, the latch-arm G is carried into engagement with they latch end of the lever H. At the same time the springpressed latch K operates, as before described, to automatically return the presser-foot to (Shown in' Fig. 1.) This latter will be appreciated as ahighlyimportant feature of our invention and one which renders our stop-motion far superior to those which require to be reset by the operator.

It is highly desirable when starting to knit a piece of fabric that the stop motion be raised and secured in an upright position, so as to be out of the way. To this end we provide the lateral arm R on the shaft I and the keeper S on one of the bearings a of the standard R, the said keeper having a notch 15 and a beveled forward end u, designed to engage a lateral lug g on the handle. We also extend the shaft I beyond the outer bearing a of the standard and provide it in such extended portion with a circumferential groove to receive the end of a flat spring to on the bearing. By virtue of this construction it will be seen that when the arm R is swung upwardly to raise the arm I) of shaft I to an upright position the lug y on the said handle will ride past the beveled forward end 10 of the keeper S and will be drawn by the spring w into the notch 15 of the keeper, in which position it will securely hold the arm I) of shaft I and the appurtenances thereof up out of the way. On the other hand, when the shaft I is moved endwise by pressure applied to its outer end the lug 'y will be removed from the notch 15 of the keeper and the spring N will operate to return the arm b and the parts thereon to their proper operative position.

T is a block connected to the periphery of the cylinder'and adapted to pass under the end of the arm B, so as to support the same until the seam (not shown)of the fabric has passed the presser-foot. I 7

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that our improved stop-motion is very compact, and as a whole it is a simplification of the stop-motions extant and at the same time is strong and durable, and therefore well adapted to withstand the usage to which such mechanism is ordinarily subjected.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In a stop motion for circular knitting machines, the combination of a shipping-lever, a shaft having an arm, a presser-foot mounted to rock on said arm, means intermediate of the shipping-lever and the presserfoot whereby the latter is enabled to control the operation of the former, and a springpressed device on the arm of the shaft for automatically resetting or returning the presser-foot to its normal position subsequent to an operation thereof.

2. In a stop motion for circular -knitting machines, the combination of a shipping-lever, a shaft having an arm,a presser-foot mounted to rock on said arm, means intermediate of theshipping-lever and the presserfoot whereby the latter is enabled to control the operation of the former, and a springpressed latch on the arm of the shaft for holding the presser foot against casual movement and resetting or returning it to its normal operative position subsequent to an operation.

3. In a stopmotion for circular -knitting machines, the combination of a shipping-lever, a shaft having an arm, a presser-foot mounted to rock on the arm of the shaft and having a lateral lug, means intermediate of the shipping lever and .the presser -foot whereby the latter is enabled to control the operation of the former, and a spring-pressed latch fulcrumed on the arm of the shaft and having a seat in its lower edge to receive the lateral lug of the presser-foot, substantially as specified.

at. In a stopmotion for circular knitting machines, the combination of a shipping-lever, a shaft having an arm, a presser -foot mounted to rock on the arm of the shaft and having a lateral lug, means intermediate of the shipping lever and the presser foot whereby the latter is enabled to control the operation of the former, a latch fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length on the arm of the shaft and having a seat in the lower edge of one of its arms to receive the lug of the presser-foot, and a spring connected at one end to the other arm of the latch and having its other end connected to an adjustable collar on the arm of the shaft, substantially as specified.

5. In a stop motion for circularknitting machines, the combination of a shipping-lever, a bell-crank lever, means intermediate of the shipping-lever and one arm of the bellcrank lever whereby the latter is enabled to control the operation of the former, a rockshaft having an arm, a presser foot fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length on the arm of the shaft, a rod connected to the upper end of the presser-footand having an arm arranged to engage the other arm of the bell-crank lever, and automatic means for resetting or returning the presser-foot to its normal position subsequent to an operation thereof, substantially as specified.

6. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a shipping-lever, a bell-crank lever, means intermediate of the shipping-lever and one arm of the bell-crank lever whereby the latter is enabled to control the operation of the former, a rockshaft having an arm, a presser-foot fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length on the arm of the shaft, a rod connected to the upper end of the presser-foot and having an arm arranged to engage the other arm of the bell crank lever, a spring pressed latch mounted on the arm of the shaft and engaging the presser-foot, and a spring for holding the presser-foot down to its work, substantially as specified.

7. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a shipping=lever, a shaft having an arm, a presser-foot fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its height on the arm of the shaft, an automatic spring-pressed device for holding the presserver and the shipping-lever whereby the operation of the latter is controlled by the former, and a coiled spring surrounding and connected to the shaft for holding the presser-foot to its work, substantially as specified.

8. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a shipping-lever, a suitable support, a rock-shaft journaled in the support and having an arm, a presserfoot carried by the arm of the rock-shaft, means intermediate of the shipping-lever and the presser-foot whereby the operation of the former is controlled by the latter, automatic means for resetting the presser-foot subsequent to an operation thereof, a ratchetwheel loose on the shaft, a coiled spring surrounding the shaft and' connected at one end to the same and at its opposite end to the ratchet-wheel, and a spring-pawl connected to the support and engaging the ratchetwheel, substantially as specified.

9. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a shipping-lever, a suitable support, an endwise-movable rock-shaft journaled in the support and having an arm, a presser-foot mounted to rock on the arm of the shaft, means intermediate of the shipping-lever and the presser-foot whereby the operation of the former is con trolled by the latter, automatic means for re setting the presser foot subsequent to an operation thereof, a spring connected to the shaft for holding the presser-foot to its work, a spring for moving the shaft in an endwise direction, a keeper fixed on the support and having a notch and a beveled forward end, an arm fixed on the shaft and having a lug to engage said notch and beveled end of the keeper, and means on the cylinder of the machine for engaging and raising said arm, substantially as specified.

10. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a shipping-le ver, a suitable support, a rock-shaft journaled in the support and having an arm, a presser-foot mounted to rock on the arm of the shaft, means intermediate of the shipping-lever and the presser-foot whereby the operation of the former is controlled by the latter, automatic means for resetting the presser-foot subsequent, to an operation thereof, a spring connected to the shaft for holding the presser-foot to its work, and suitable means for securing the shaft when the same is rocked to raise its arm, substantially as specified.

11. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a suitable sup IIO port, a keeper fixed to the support, a rockshaft journaled in the support and having an arm, a presser-foot on said arm adapted to control the operation of the shipping-lever of the machine, a coiled spring connected to the shaft for holding the presser-foot to its work, an arm fixed on the shaft and adapted to engage the keeper, and means on the cylinder of the machine for engaging said arm,

substantially as specified.

12. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a suitable support, a keeper'fixed to the support and having its forward end beveled and also having a notch, an endwise-movable rock-shaft journaled in the support and having an arm, a presser-foot on said arm adapted to control the operation of the shipping-lever of the machine, a coiled spring connected to the shaft for holding the presser-foot to its Work, an arm fixed on the shaft and having a lug to engage the keeper, a spring for moving the shaft endwise and holding the lug of the handle in engagement with the keeper, and means on the cylinder of the machine for engaging said arm, substantially as specified.

13. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a shifter adapted to throw the driving mechanism of the machine out. of gear, a suitable support, a

pres'ser-foot movable on said support, means whereby the presser-foot is enabled to control the operation of the shifter, and a springpressed latch for holding the presser-foot against casual movement, and resetting or returning itto its normal operative position subsequent to an operation.

14:. In a stop-motion for circular-knitting machines, the combination of a shifter adapted to throw the driving mechanism of the machine out of gear, a suitable support, a shaft journaled in the support, and having an arm, a presser-foot movable on said arm of the shaft, means whereby the presser-foot is enabled to control the operation of the shifter, an automatic device on the arm of the shaft for resetting the presser-foot subsequent to an operation thereof, a spring for holding the presser-foot to its Work, and means for securingthe shaft when the same is rocked to raise its arm.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set ourhands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM F. WEST. BRIGHAM PAYNE.

Witnesses:

E. LE ROY SPAULDING, J OSEPH G. BROWN. 

